Chrycoman

Canadian 1936 colors, from Sherwin-Williams -

Going to try this -

No, the colours listed for 1936 were taken from the Ditzler's Dodge Car Color List, 1935 to 1946, which is for American Dodge production. None of the mentioned colours were used by Chrysler of Canada in 1936, which included - Black Hunter's Green Polo Green Palm Beach Grey No. 2 Blue Aquamarine Blue Regal Maroon Gunmetal The DuPont code for the Canadian Regal Maroon is 246-8633 which is not the same as the U.S. colour of that name. Bill Toronto, ON

Dodge had two versions of Golden Beige Metallic - IM-1267 : Used on 1935 Dodges from the beginning until March 8, 1935. IM-1518 : On March 8, 1935, serial number 3810686, it replaced IM-1267. IM-1518 was used on 1936 Dodges. The difference between IM-1267 and IM-1518 was in the polychromatic base lacquer used. The IM-1267 colour had aluminum flakes that could be easily seen in the paint, while IM-1518 the flakes are scarcely visible. This change also affected Palm Green Metallic, Mercury Metallic, Dorset Grey Light Metallic, Gunmetal Metallic. Gunmetal Light Metallic, and Strarosphere Blue Metallic in the Dodge line, but the changes were done at differing times of the year. IM-1518 was used by Dodge from mid-1935 through 1938. The colour was also used on 1936-1937 Chryslers (Del Monte Beige Metallic), 1936 DeSoto (Autumn Gold Metallic) and, listed as a Special colour, 1936 Nash (Golden Beige Metallic). According to Ditzler, the following is the complete list of Dodge 1936 Spring Showing and Summer Special colours - Star Blue No. 4 - IM-942 Hunter (Archer) Green - IM-1604 Blue Cloud No. 3 - IM-1645 Blue Cloud No. 4 - IM-1646 Star Blue No. 1 - IM-1647 Nickle Gray No. 2 - IM-1648 Nickle Gray No. 3 - IM-1649 Harvest Green No. 3 - IM-1650 Stone Beige No. 1 - IM-1651 Stone Beige No. 4 - IM-1652 Seamist Gray No. 2 - IM-1686 Seamist Gray No. 3 - IM-1687 Blue Cloud No. 2 - IM-1688 Chicola Green Metallic - IM-1689 Chateau Blue Metallic - IM-1690 All the above colours are listed as used by Dodge only. Both Archer Green (IM-1604, code 320) and Regal Maroon (IM-1585, codes 601 and 603) are on the 1935-36 Ditzler chip sheet for Chrysler, DeSoto and Dodge. Neither is shown on the 1936 DuPont Dodge colour bulletin, but they are listed on later publications that list 1936 Dodge colours - Regal Maroon 246-31494 and Archer-or-Hunter Green 246-31525.

Of all the types of parts manuals, the Preliminary Edition will give you the least information. This edition was issued at the beginning of the model year and does not have all the parts listed. I have a preliminary 1960 Canadian Chryco parts book and no interior trim pieces are listed. The next edition had all parts, at the time of publication, in the parts book. Another specialized edition was the Collision Parts, which had sheet metal, glass and exterior trim, but no mechanical parts. Over the model year, sheets may be issued with any corrections, additions or deletions of parts used. Parts books were printed in book form and later loose leaf form. The update sheets were printed in both forms as well. If enough changes have occurred, an updated book will be issued. In Canada, once the Engineering people decide that is it, no more parts will be updated or replaced, a Final Edition is published. For 1960, the Final Edition Chryco parts book was issued in February, 1961. Parts books, except for preliminary and final, also highlight which parts are new listings and which are superceded numbers. Prior to computerized inventory, American Chrysler Corporation parts books started with "D". Beginning with the 1960 parts books, numbering changed to an "81-xxx-xxxx" format. Regardless of format, each new or revised edition received a unique number. Thus you can tell which edition is the latest as it will have the highest number. In Canada, parts and service publications, including oweners manuals, used numbers with "WM" prefix. The Final Edition for 1960 was WM-4516. Again, the higher the number the newer the edition. Do not know when the WM numbering began, but the pre-1934 Chrysler final Master Edition was WM-3353. Chrysler Canada changed to the American system when Chryco parts became Mopar in Canada. Parts books prior to 1934 were issued for each model - SA, DA, CJ, PA, etc. With 1934, and following the adoption of a set model year with 1933, books were issued by make each model year. In 1936 Chrysler of Canada started issuing a corporate passenger car parts book each model year, excepting 1946-48 and 1951-52 and the 1960-63 Valiants. The U.S. Master Editions were the equivalent of the Canadian Final Editions, but covered a number of years instead of the one year in Canada. Thus the 'up to 1933', 1936-1942, 1946-1954, 1955-1958, etc. groupings for the Master Editions. So, if you are looking to purchase one book for your car, the later the edition for your model year the better. The Preliminary Edition is nice if you want to expand your paper collection for your car, but as a resource for a restoration project it may not be all you need. On the other hand, the Master Edition would be the best deal as it lists all the parts for your car plus the other years in the grouping. Gives you some idea where to look for parts if what you want was used in other years and, if a corporate Master Edition, used on other makes.

Graham-Paige did, indeed, purchase the raw blocks from Continental, except for the 199-cid unit which was purchased complete from Continental. The eight cylinder engines were supplied by either Lycoming or Continental. As for the 217.8 engine, it was just a fluke both had the same engine size. Nash also had a 217.8 engine for the 1934-1936 Lafayette. In the late 1950's Dodge and DeSoto offered a 383 V8 as did Mercury and Chrysler. Dodge and DeSoto also offered a 361 as did the 1958 Edsel. (I suspect the 1958 Edsel 361 may have influenced Chrysler to call their 1958 engine a 360.) Also, Ford and Studebaker had a 289, Chevrolet and Rambler a 327, and so on. All just numbers. Dodge Brothers purchased Graham Brothers outright in 1925. When the three Graham brothers left Dodge Brothers they signed an agreement on April 30, 1926 not to market a truck during the next five years, which meant the agreement would lapse on May 1, 1931. The Graham brothers acquired control of the Paige company in 1927 and introduced their Paige Commercial Car in January, 1930. Note they used the Paige name and not Graham. However, Chrysler still went after Graham-Paige for introducing a truck which broke the 1926 agreement, in their eyes, and filed suit in January, 1931. G-P filed back that they were not breaking the agreement, but in any case, Chrysler Corporation had dropped the Graham Brothers name and replaced it with Dodge on their trucks, thus destroying any goodwill the name Graham may have had under the agreement. The court battle did not get anywhere, if it even got to court, and did not put either firm in financial peril, although it did entail expenses neither firm needed in those depression days. Chrysler actually dropped the suit in October, 1931, undoubtedly when they realized they were trying to get blood from a stone. The Paige, like Chrysler's Fargo of 1929-30, was a dud in the market place. G-P dropped the Paige in December, 1931, after building less than 2,000 during its brief two year lifespan. Bill Toronto, ON

The "E" in the engineering code stood for the capacity of the vehicle. The system first appeared with the 1930 models - A - 1/2 ton B - 3/4 ton C - 1 ton E - 1-1/2 ton G - 2 ton L - 3 ton M - 4 ton S - School bus T - Bus in street car style (door at front curb side) U - Bus in parlor car style (door at each row of seats) However, just to make things interesting, it was not all cut and dried as the G-20-21-30-31 illustrates. The G20 and G21 were 1 ton while the G30 and G31 were 1-1/2 ton, yet all were "E" as far as the engineering code went. As far as employees went, the people on the assembly line would have continued their lives as normal after the Chrysler takeover. Management would have, and did, change with Frederick Haynes being replaced by K.T. Keller as head of Dodge. A number of ranks below the top were also replaced but to replace all the people on the assembly line, which would have been in the thousands in the case of Dodge Brothers and its vast foundry, forge, body and assembly operations, would have resulted in disaster. Thousands of experienced workers replaced by thousands of inexperienced workers would have resulted in quality problems with the final product. Of course the closing of the Lynch Road truck and moving production to Hamtramck would have resulted in layoffs, as would the depression. What I am trying to determine was when truck production was moved from the truck plant on Lynch Road to the Hamtramck truck plant. The Lynch Road plant, built by Dodge Brothers in 1917 for war materiel production, was converted for Graham Brothers Truck production in 1925 and then for axle housing production. The plant is known today as Detroit Axle. But when? The Lynch Road properties were purchased by Dodge Brothers and acquired by Chrysler with the takeover in 1928. The Eldon Axle plant, Winfield Foundry, Huber foundry, Graham Brothers Truck/Detroit Axle and Dodge Brothers Senior Six/Plymouth plants were all built on that chunk of land. The Plymouth plant was a major expansion of the Dodge Brothers Senior Six plant. Again, not sure when Senior Six production was moved to Hamtramck, although it had to be in the fall of 1928. Bill Toronto, ON

Over the years I have collected old Branham (covering 1921 to 1960s), Red Book (1928-1942) and NADA Used Car Guides (from 1946). I also have similar publications for the Canadian market. As well I have the Serial Number Guide printed by Chrysler of Canada in 1957 which includes all American and Canadian production, including export, through to the beginning of 1957 production. The final 1957 parts book has the ending 1957 serial numbers. The Serial Number Guide lists serial numbers by model code and the model year(s) according to the Engineering Department. The Engineering Department basically worked according to the calendar year, at least before the 1933 model year. The Branham and NADA books give information according to the marketing department model years, which began in the summer or fall. Thus I have been able to sort out the model years and their serial numbers. And this is for both cars and trucks. Also have the Canadian parts books from the pre-1934 master books through to 1967 (missing 1938 and 1946-48) plus 1972-73 and 1980 through 1988. The Canadian edition usually covered Canadian, American and export models. Also have an Australian book with all the makes imported and or sold in Australia with the models and serial numbers from 1926 through to 1961. Also have issues of Glass s Car Check Book covering 1932 through to the 1970s. These books list all the cars sold in Great Britain by make, model and model year with serial numbers. And contrary to what some people believe, I have never worked for Chrysler. Bill Toronto, ON

The T14-II26 is the engine serial number (126th built) whiile 633329-2 is the casting number, which may have been used for a number of engines over a number of years. Chrysler, and Studebaker, used the letter I for the number 1 over a number of years. The T14 was also used on the 1 ton K-19-V model. The engine had a 3.25 inch bore and 3.375 inch stroke for 217.8-cid, same as the 1935 Dodge DU car. As for your G20-21 (1 ton) or G30-31 (1.5 ton), the engineering code was DD-2. Engine size was 3.25 by 4.25 for 211.5-cid, same size engine as used in Dodge DH six. For serial numbers, the 1932 G-20-21-30-31 models for 1932 were - Detroit : 8480001 to 8481871 LosAngeles : 9258501 to 9258645 Windsor : no 1932 models built in Canada 1933 models were Detroit : to 8481872 8483053 LosAngeles : 9258646 to 9258715 Windsor : 8925401 to 8925420 So, if the serial number of your truck falls into the above sequences, you do have a G series truck. The engine may have been replaced at sometime. The T14 was a newer and, more than likely, more powerful unit than the DD-2. Bill Toronto, ON

It is 3/4 ton. My laptop has a tendency after a while to print different charactors for / ? ' " [ ] { and }. The only way to reset it is to shut it off and start over. The key with ? and / also has é in the top right corner but it is not supposed to be active when using the English language alphabet. Bill Toronto, ON

Don't shrug off the car just because it does not have a production body. Before WW II Chrysler built and shipped thousands of chassis/cowl units to countries all over the world. Bodies were built in the country where the chassis was being shipped. Saved on shipping costs and impoirt duties. If this car was such a unit the vehicle could be worth more than a factory body. The body style on the car now was referred to as a boat-tailled speedster in North America. Bill Toronto, ON

For all 4 cylinder Dodge Brothers cars, and the DA Six of 1929-1930. the chassis number was stamped in two locations : 1) Plate on the toe board 2) Frame right side member just to the rear of the front spring rear hanger. The serial number was stamped on the chassis or plate at the factory that built the chassis. Whether or not a jurisdiction used the engine number for registration had absolutely no influence on where, or if, the chassis (serial) number was stamped on the frame. That decision was the original manufacturer s decision to make. A Dodge DA six with a serial number starting with DA came from Detroit. Toronto and Windsor DA models had serial numbers starting with CDA. Toronto numbers were below CDA-3261 while Windsor numbers were CDA-3261 up to CDA-3769. Cars using the FEDCO system had the serial number stamped only on the plate built into the instrument panel. And the only Dodge models using the FEDCO numbers were the DC, DD and DE. After the FEDCO system was dropped (DF and later), the serial number was stamped onto the plate attached to the right front door hinge panel (suicide door models - DQ, DR, DRXX, DS - on the B pillar) and on the chassis frame under right front fender. Bill Toronto, ON

The D is for a 3é4 ton truck while E is for the year. A was 1924, B for 1925-26, C 1927, D 1928 and E 1929. The 1930 models adopted a new system related to the engine - DA, DB and U. DA and DB are obvious, while U is for the 4 cylinder Plymouth model U. 1931-32 models were series F with the 4 cylinder models being UF. Prior to January 1, 1929, the trucks were sold as Graham Brothers Trucks. The Dodge Truck name was adopted as of January 1, 1929. The beginning serial numbers for the 1929 Dodge Trucks - Detroit - D182639 Evansville - E-134710 Stockton - S-110035 Bill Toronto, ON

If your car had an X in the model number it woiuld have an engine with a 2.88 inch bore. The X does not mean export, it means export with a 2.88 inch bore engine. The normal 3.25 inch, 3.38 inch, etc. bore engines were exported but the model numbers had no extra letters tacked on to show it was an export unit. For the British market, both Plymouth and DeSoto were marketed as Chryslers. The DeSoto Airflow was sold as the Chrysler Croydon. The Chrysler Imperial Airflow was sold as the Heston Airflow, with leftover 1934 models dolled up and sold as 1935 and 1936 models. Chrysler UK models were given unique British serial numbers starting in 1934. Leftover models had the Chrysler Engineering model year letter added to the beginning of the UK serial number and the end of the model number. Thus leftover 1934 CU Airflows became CUL for 1935 and CUM for 1936. The Kew in the early 1930`s had the 2.88 bore engine and thus had an X in the model number. Late 1930`s models with an X were sold as Chrysler Plymouth 6. The standard bore engine Plymouths were sold as Wimbledon, with the later years offering a cheaper version as the Kew. Two interesting British models were the Dodge Custom Eights of 1938 and 1939. They were actually Chrysler Imperial 8 models with a Dodge ram hood ornament and Dodge nameplates. Model numbers were changed from C19 and C23 to D19 and D23. Six 1939 D23 models were built. British production ended in late summer of 1939 and no production began for 1940 as Britain declared war on Germany at the beginning of September. By the way, if you own an export Chrysler product, do not expect Chrysler Historical to have the build record. The purpose of the build record was to help the dealer get the correct parts for the customers car. In those days Chrysler would paint body parts if the dealer had no body or paint facilities. The build record would have the correct paint information for the parts warehouse to use as American-built cars did not have the paint code recorded on the vehicle. They were also useful when ordering interior trim. As most cars exported were either CKD with painting and interior work done in another country or were chassis units with bodies supplied in the foreign market, keeping the build records was not necessary. Every owner of an exported vehicle that I know of has been told they did not have the build record.

To clear up the X and XX - XX meant a cheaper version of the model - 1934 Dodge DR DeLuxe Six (Intro January, 1934) 4 door sedan - $765 1934 Dodge DRXX Six (Intro May, 1934) 4 door sedan - $745 1933 Plymouth PC Six (Intro November, 1932) 4 door sedan - $545 1933 Plymouth PCXX Standard Six (Intro April, 1933) 4 door sedan - $510 A single X (PCX, DRX) meant a car built for export with a 2.88 inch bore. The PC used an engine 3.13 inch bore and 4.13 inch stroke for 189.8-cid. A 2.88 in bore gave 161.3-cid. The small bore was popular in countries that had a tax on engine bore size and number of cylinders, although they called it `horsepower`. The PC engine was 23.44 horsepower while the PCX was 19.34. The 1933 Dodge DP used a 3.13 inch bore with a 4.38 inch stroke, but that was still 23.44 horsepower. Needless to say, the horspower tax encouraged long stroke engines. Bill Toronto, ON

CJ does not stand for Chrysler Junior, but model CJ. The first production Chrysler in 1924 was model B, in honour of the stillborn 1921 Chrysler developed at the Willys Corporation by the Three Musketeers. From there model numbers were - F, I, G, H, E, M, J, L, P, R, V and W. Model K was the 1929 DeSoto, Q the first series 1929 Plymouth and U the second series 1929 Plymouth. There were no models N, O, S, T, X, Y or Z. Chrysler models then switched to a double letter starting with C - CC, CJ, CD, CG. CM. CI, CP, CH, CL, CO, CT, CQ, CA, CB, CU, CV, CW, CX, CY and CZ. The CF was the 1930-32 DeSoto Eight and the CK the 1930-31 DeSoto Six. No CN, CR or CS. Chrysler model numbers switched to letter-number with C1 and worked up to C75 and C76 for 1957. Not all numbers were used. With the new Plymouth and DeSoto being separate models, Plymouth adopted codes starting with P for 1931-32, PA, folllowed by PB, PC, PD, PE, PF, PG, and PJ. For 1936 the model numbers started at P1 and worked up to the P30 and P31 for 1957, with numbers being skipped here and there. DeSoto started at SA for 1931, followed by SB, SC, SD, SE, SF and SG. Following that, DeSoto's letter-number system went from S1 and S2 for 1936 through to S25 to S27 for 1957. The export Plymouth-based DeSotos of 1937 through to 1957 add an "S" before the "P". Even Dodge adopted the Chrysler model number system after the Chrysler takeover, starting at DA and doing up to DV - no DN though. The system swiched to D2 for 1936 and went up to D64 through to D67 and D70 to D72 for 1957. Again, numbers were skipped.

Graham Brothers first started building conversions for vehicles already in production around 1916. Their plant in Evansville built frame extensions for various makes and the kits included all the parts necessary to extend the chassis frame and move the rear axle. When Graham Brothers first started making their own trucks they used engines from a few companies, but Continental was the major supplier, at least intially. Trucks were built in 1 ton, 1.5 ton and 2 ton ratings on various wheelbase lengths. Due to the three weight ratings and various wheelbase lengths, Graham Brothers truck chassis frames were built to GB specifications. Do not know who actually built the frames, but there were a number of firms back then that speciialized in chassis frames. All Graham Brothers trucks were built in a Graham Brothers factory and, from 1921, sold at Dodge Brothers dealers. They did not become a Dodge Brothers product until DB acquired 100% control of the firm in 1925 and GB became a division of DB. Just as Dodge Brothers was a Dodge Brothers product until Chrysler purchased DB, at which time Dodge Brothers vehicles became Chrysler products. Graham Brothers plants were in Evansville, Stockton and Detroit. The Evansville plant on Stringtown Road also built bodies for GB trucks, although the buyer had the choice of purchasing a chassis-cowl unit or having another body builder supply the body. The Evansville plant was used for Dodge truck assembly from January 1, 1929 until late 1931 and then closed. Chrysler updated and expanded the plant in 1935 and began assembling Plymouths for 1936. The plant was used by Chrysler until replaced by the St.Louis plant for 1960. The plant and administration building still stand, by the way. Production began in 1922 at the former plant of King Motor Car Co. on Conant Avenue. In 1924 a larger plant at 6600 Lynch Road came on line. The plant was built by Dodge Brothers in 1917 to build war materiel, and was used for truck production through to 1930. Chrysler then used the plant to manufacturer axle houing - known later as the Detroit Axle plant. At third plant was purchased in Stockton, CA, on what was then Cherokee Lane. It opened on June 24, 1925, and was used for truck production through to 1932 when production was transfered to the new Plymouth plant in Los Angeles. The plant still stands, at 1270 East Waterloo Road. It is a long, narrow plant which has been expanded over the years into the property behind the plant. The offices are located at the east end of the plant. The only plant Graham Brothers shared with Dodge Brothers was the plant on Dufferin Street in Toronto, in use from 1924 through to 1930. Again, Graham Brothers trucks became Dodge Brothers as of January, 1929. Production of Dodge Trucks was moved to the old Maxwell plant on Tecumseh in Windsor when the Toronto plant closed. Graham Brothers trucks were sold all over the world, thanks to Dodge Brothers. In those days auto manufacturers would contract a distributor to set up a dealer network (who were contracted to the distrubutor and not the manufacturer) as well as parts warehouses to provide parts for the dealers. They also handled the advertising in the area they were responsible for. Auto manufacturers used distributors across North America and in foreign countries. Great Britain and Australia had distributors that imported CKD units (GB) or chassis-cowl (Australia) units from North America. In the case of the GB distributor, they used local suppliers for interior trimmings and other parts, while the Australian distributor contracted local body builders. The chassis were built as RHD in North America and not converted, while the British units were built with 12-volt systems right up to WW II. The 1 ton, 1.5 ton and 2 ton trucks were marketed as Graham Brothers trucks right up to December 31, 1928. As of January 1, 1929, all trucks coming off the assembly line were Dodge Trucks. At no time were these units built as Graham and Dodge at the same time. However, the Dodge Brothers Commercial Car, a half ton model, became a Graham Brothers Commercial Car for the 1928 model year, model SD, and a 1929 model SE until December 31. At which time all Graham Brothers trucks became Dodge Brothers. The new three quarter ton model for 1927, the DCT, was a Graham Brothers product, as was the 1928 DDT and the 1929 DET, at least until December 31, 1928. Then they, too, became Dodge Brothers vehicles.

A list of carburetors I have shows the D6G1 being used on the 1946-48 Plymouth P15 models.

"model 219" refers to a model number given to an engine, less accessories, by the parts department. If, say, 1949 through 1953 Plymouths used the same engine, although the Plymouth model numbers change each year, the engine model number would be the same. "Less accessories" means no manifolds, generator, carburetor, wiring or oil filter. I have a number of Canadian parts books, but Chryco did not start listing the model numbers until 1951. The lowest model number listed in 1951 is model 222, used on US built P22, P23, D39, D40, SP22 and SP23. Canadian-built versions used model 401 engines. Model 222 is also listed in the 1953-54 parts book for the US-built 1953 and early 1954 Plymouth. The tag also means the engine was rebuilt, or at least part of it was. Will have to determine what size a model 219 is and that will help determine the con rods, etc. needed. For the pistons, determine the diameter of what you have now. The cylinder bores should be 3.125" or 3.25". Anything slightly larger will tell if the cylinders have been bored, and by how much.

The first plant in Evansville, at Fourth and Main, was opened in 1916 when the Graham brothers got into the truck conversion business. When they decided to get into the truck building business, a new larger plant was built on Stringtown Road and Maxwell in Evansville late in 1919. The Evansville plant built bodies for Graham Brothers trucks assembled at the other plants and would become property of Chrysler Corporation with the purchase of Dodge Brothers. Later the plant would be expanded for Plymouth car assembly in 1935. The 13,000 square foot plant at 1222 Meldrum Avenue was acquired in 1922 to augment the Evansville plant and had been built by the Denby Truck Company. The plant was expanded to 40,000 square feet by 1923. Also in 1922 Graham Brothers purchased the 60,000 square foot Conant Avenue plant of the King Motor Car Company. In 1924 Graham Brothers truck assembly began at the Dodge Brother's plant on Lynch Road. It was a 480,000 square foot plant on an 11-acre site built in 1917 for war munitions production. In 1929 this plant would form the nucleus of the new, expanded Plymouth assembly plant. Production at the Stockton plant ended early in 1932 and Dodge Truck assembly began at the new Plymouth assembly plant in Los Angeles which began Plymouth production on June 15, 1932. Truck production at Evansville ended late in 1931. With the depression in full force, truck sales were down and all production was moved to Dodge Main. When the economy began to improve a new truck plant was built in Warren, Michigan. In 1924 Dodge Brothers opened a new assembly plant on Dufferin Street in Toronto, Ontario, replacing a smaller, leased building in Windsor. Production of Graham Brothers trucks in Toronto, unlike the Detroit, Evansville and Stockton assembly plants, did not have unique serial numbers, instead using Detroit numbers. The same held for Dodge Brothers cars assembled in Toronto. Production of Dodge Brothers cars moved to the new Chrysler assembly plant on Chrysler Centre in 1929, at which time the Canadian Dodges used unique serial numbers. Dodge Truck production would move to the old Maxwell plant on Tecumseh Avenue in 1931, at which time the trucks began to use their own serial number sequences. The Toronto plant was used as a parts distribution centre for a couple of years. It was sold and used by a number of firms until demolished in the 1970's. Chrysler was another company that purchased plants from other, usually defunct, companies. When Fisher Body served notice they were no longer going to build bodies for non-GM makes in 1926, Chrysler purchased a body plsnt on Kercheval Avenue right across the street from the East Jefferson Avenue as well as one of the Fisher Body plsnts in Windsor for Canadian production. Wills-Ste.Claire's plant in Marysville, Michigan, was purchased for parts, marine and industrial engine production. Saxon's plant on Wyoming Avenue was purchaed in 1934 and would be expanded for DeSoto production. The plant had been purchased from GM who acquired it around 1921. Graham-Paige's plant on West Warren Avenue was purchased in 1947 and was used by DeSoto from 1950 through 1958 and by Imperial for the 1959 to 1961 model years. Bill, Toronto, ON

I for one would like to see that. Very interested in the development of the Austrslian suto industry. Both Canada and Australia had similar attitudes toward developing their auto industries before WW II, but took different routes later. Australia, with no big neighbours near by, was able to keep their industry indenpendant and viable. Bill Toronto, ON

Chrysler shipped cowl/chassis units but no body parts. Cowl/chassis units usually had the front end sheet metal - fenders, hood, grille, etc. The bodies were done by Australian body companies. Chrysler could not send skins for tourers, for example, as Chrysler did not build tourers, or roadsters, after 1932. Also, Chrysler bodies were all steel, with inner and outer panels that were welded together. North American bodies had no frames, wood or steel. Thus all body parts were made in Australia. Which is why Australian bodies were not the same as North American. After WW II American manufacturers began shipping CKD units with bodies but this was for low production cars and for smaller companies such as Studebaker. Studebaker used to ship Commander sedan CKD units which the Australian assembler would dress up as a Cruiser. Confused many a Studebaker fan until they figured out what was going on. Using outside sources for bodies was the norm in North America for decades. GM did not get control of Fisher Body until 1926, at which point GM declared that Fisher Body would be building bodies only for GM. Chrysler had been using Fisher Body, as well as Briggs, Murray, Hayes, Budd, and others. By the early 1940's, Chrysler used Briggs to build bodies for Plymouth and the other makes were done by Chrysler or Briggs. Chrysler purchased Briggs in 1952. Same with Ford using mainly Briggs and Murray until the 1940's. Nash used Seaman Body (purchased 1936) and then Budd for major stampings, Hudson used Murray and Budd, Kaiser-Fraser used Murray, Studebaker used Budd for their major body stampings but built their own bodies. Australian import laws encouraged local body suppliers before WW II. Canada was much the same, with auto companies importing chassis frames and large body stampings. In Canada GM used Fisher Body Canada, Ford built their own using US Ford suppliers for large body pieces and Chrysler of Canada built their own when they purchased the Fisher Body plant in Windsor that had been building bodies for Chrysler. The Pontiac Laurentian was a Canadian model, by the way. It used a Chevrolet body with front and rear sheetmetal with Pontiac designs. No Canadian Pontiac sheetmetal before the mid-1960s interchanged with the US Pontiac. Engines and transmissions were, naturally, Chevrolet. Although US Pontiacs were Wide-Track starting in 1959, the Canadian Pontiacs were not. An easy way to tell them apart. Bill Toronto, ON

KS398E : 1929 DeSoto model K : KW-000-P to KL-300-L or K-00001 to K-73007 (73,007) 1930 DeSoto model K : KL-300-E to KD-999-D and then KK-000-P to KK-143-W or K-73008 to K-99999, and then KK-0001 to KK-1430 (26,992 + 1,430 = 28,422) By serial numbers, 101,429 model K DeSotos were built in Detroit, with an additional 8,785 built in Canada. Your serial number, KS-398-E, decodes as K-63988, or the 63,988th Model K built. The number falls into the 1929 serial number, toward the end of the span. It was probably built in May of 1929. The FEDCO letters can be decoded as - W - 0 P - 1 C - 2 H - 3 R - 4 Y - 5 S - 6 L - 7 E - 8 D - 9 K has no numeric equivalent. Other letters with no related number include A, B, F, G, J, N, O, and Z. Letters I, M, Q, T, U, V, and X were not used. DeSoto production began in Juky, 1928, and was introduced to the public on August 4, 1928 - as a 1929 model. The auto industry has introduced and began new model years in the late summer or early fall for over one hundred years. Production of the 1930 model K began on July 1, 1929. The last model K was built May, 1930.

Yes, roadster and touring models for Chrysler products were gone in North America by 1934. For Dodge and Fargo trucks, the big difference was the hood ornament and the nameplates. Thus the bodies and sheet metal were the same. A lot can happen between 1936 and 2012. It is likely someone has replaced a damaged Fargo grille with a good Dodge unit. Or even the whole front clip and / or body. Search for a Fargo hood ornament and emblem and turn your Dodge back into a Fargo.

Couple of notes on the DM 4. It is a Plymouth PB with a Dodge nose built at the Detroit Plymouth plant on Lynch Road. The engine, naturally, is a PB 4 cylinder. A total of 1,173 were built, all for export outside of North America, and of that 235 were chassis-cowl units. Chassis serial numbers started at 9905001 and ended at 9906173. The beginning "9" has been a source of confusion as all Canadian Chrysler cars started with "9". However, export-only Dodge models (DE, DI and DM) as well as Evansville-built 1937 D5 models also start with "9". The DM was the first "Plodge" - Plymouth-based Dodge. For parts, the 1928-1933 Plymouth Master Parts Book will have the PB parts, but the 1914-1933 Dodge Master Parts book has the DM parts. Having both will help determine which parts are unique to the DM and which are shared with the PB. Bill Toronto, ON